Peaks Of Yore

Peaks of Yore – The Sweaty-Palmed Climbing Sim That Respects Your Time (And Your Grip Strength)

Attribute	Details
Publisher	TraipseWare
Developer	Anders Grube Jensen
Release Date	October 26, 2023
Genre	Physics-Based Platformer, Climbing Simulation
Platforms	PC (Windows)

So, What Exactly Is Peaks of Yore?

You know that feeling when you’re watching a rock climbing video and your palms just start sweating? Peaks of Yore is that feeling turned into a video game.

This is a first-person physics-based climbing adventure set in 1887 . You’re a mountaineer exploring a fictional region called The Great Gales, and your job is simple: summit every boulder, peak, and mountain in sight . Simple to explain. Brutally hard to execute.

The game was made by a solo developer named Anders Grube Jensen , and it’s one of those rare indie gems that came out of nowhere and absolutely crushed it. We’re talking Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam with 98% of over 1,500 reviews being positive . That’s not “good.” That’s “people are obsessed.”

You control each of your climber’s arms individually. Left mouse button grabs with your left hand. Right mouse button grabs with your right hand. That’s it. That’s the entire game . But from those two buttons emerges a surprisingly deep system of momentum, balance, jumping, and risk assessment that will make you feel like a genius and a complete idiot in alternating 30-second intervals.

There are no enemies. No combat. No timers. Just you, the rock, and gravity. And gravity is undefeated.

How Does It Actually Play?

Let me break this down, because Peaks of Yore is not what you expect.

The Controls Are Deceptively Simple

You move your mouse to look around. Left click grabs with your left hand. Right click grabs with your right hand. To climb, you reach for a hold, click and hold, then release your other hand and reach for the next one . That’s literally it.

But here’s where the depth comes in. You can swing your body using momentum. You can jump from hold to hold if you time it right. You can “two-hand” leap from rock to rock once you get comfortable . The game never explicitly teaches you these advanced techniques. You just… figure them out. Or you watch a tutorial online like the rest of us.

The Difficulty Curve Is a Masterclass

This is what everyone praises about Peaks of Yore. The game starts simple. Really simple. Small boulders, big obvious handholds, zero pressure. You learn the basics at a snail’s pace, just like a real beginner climber .

Then the boulders get taller. The handholds get smaller. The gaps get wider. The game introduces new mechanics gradually – ice climbing with pickaxes, wall kicks with crampons, timed chalk grips, coffee boosts, safety ropes . Each new tool makes the game more complex without overwhelming you.

One reviewer described it perfectly: “The difficulty curve is essentially perfect” . You don’t notice yourself getting better until you go back to an early peak and realize you can zoom up it in two minutes without breaking a sweat.

The Solemn Tempest Is Legendary (And Terrifying)

I have to talk about the final mountain. The Solemn Tempest is a 7,400-meter monstrosity that serves as the game’s ultimate skill check . The first 15 hours of the game prepare you for it. The next 15 hours are just attempting it over and over.

The final 1,000 meters have no safety nets. You miss a jump without a rope, and you’re falling all the way back to the bottom. An hour of progress gone in a split second.

And somehow, players love it. One reviewer said it took them 15 hours just to clear that one mountain, and they called it “an incredible time” . The feeling of finally reaching the summit is something no other game can replicate.

The Tools Make It Manageable (Not Easy)

You unlock various pieces of gear as you progress:

Ropes let you create checkpoints. You can jump back to your last rope if you fall .
Chalk gives you timed grips on otherwise slippery holds.
Coffee gives you a temporary speed boost.
Crampons unlock wall kicks and ice climbing .
Ice Picks are used for the late-game ice sections.

The key here is that the tools help without trivializing the challenge. You still have to execute. You still have to earn every summit. The rope system in particular is brilliant – you can “give up” on a peak and reuse ropes on the way up, effectively creating your own save points .

The Art Style Is Gorgeous (Or Not – You Choose)

The default visual style is a monochromatic, 19th-century engraving look . Think old-timey drawings in a history book. It’s unique and atmospheric.

If that’s too hard on your eyes (or you just can’t see the holds), the game includes a “Colorful Mode” that adds vibrant colors and improves visibility . No judgment. I used Colorful Mode. We all use Colorful Mode.

Your Cabin Is a Cozy Museum

Between climbs, you return to your cabin. As you collect items and complete achievements, your room fills with trophies, trinkets, and props . It’s a small touch, but it gives you something to admire during downtime. It makes the game feel less like a grind and more like a journey.

What Are the System Requirements?

Here’s the great news. Peaks of Yore is not demanding at all. You don’t need a gaming PC.

The Peaks of Yore download size is only 2 GB .

Minimum System Requirements (PC)

Here’s what you need at the very least:

Component	Requirement
OS	Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit)
Processor	Intel Core i5-5000 or AMD RYZEN 3 3300X
Memory	4 GB RAM
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 900 Series or AMD Radeon RX 460
DirectX	Version 11
Storage	2 GB available space

Recommended System Requirements (PC)

For the smoothest experience at higher settings:

Component	Requirement
OS	Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor	Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Memory	8 GB RAM (some sources say 12 GB)
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
DirectX	Version 11
Storage	2 GB available space

A quick note on RAM requirements: Most official sources say 8 GB for recommended specs . However, the Humble Store lists 12 GB . 8 GB should be fine. If you have 12 GB, even better.

Will it run on my laptop? Yes. Even laptops with integrated graphics from the last 5-6 years should handle this game. The minimum GTX 900 series is from 2014. You’re fine.

What about Steam Deck? The game is not officially verified, but given the low system requirements and full controller support, it should work. Many players report playing it on Deck without issues.

Controller support? Yes, the game has full controller support . Some players actually prefer it to mouse and keyboard, though the mouse controls are very intuitive.

What Makes Peaks of Yore Special?

I’m going to be straight with you. This game is not for everyone. If you hate repeating the same section fifty times, you will hate this game. If you get frustrated easily, stay away.

But for the right player, Peaks of Yore is something genuinely special.

It’s Fair. Brutally, Consistently Fair.

This is the most important thing. The game never cheats you. It never asks something that’s impossible. When you fall, it’s your fault. Your grip slipped. Your jump was poorly timed. You got greedy and didn’t place a rope .

One reviewer compared it to Getting Over It and said Peaks of Yore is NOT like that. It’s not designed to make you rage. It’s designed to challenge you, and it respects your effort .

The Progression Feels Earned

You don’t get stronger. Your character doesn’t level up. You just… get better. Actual skill improvement. Not numbers going up. YOU learning the mechanics and mastering them .

Going back to an early peak after beating the hard ones is a revelation. The boulder that took you 20 minutes on your first attempt? You can climb it in 90 seconds without even thinking. That feeling is incredible.

The “Free Solo” and “You Fall You Die” Modes Are For Masochists

After you beat the game, you unlock extra difficulty modes :

You Fall You Die – Same as normal, but your save file gets deleted if you fall to the ground.
Free Solo – Permadeath plus no tools. Just you and the rock.

These are for the truly dedicated. Most players will never touch them. I certainly won’t. But it’s cool that they exist.

The Community Is Great

Because the game is fair, the community is supportive. People share tips, celebrate each other’s successes, and commiserate over falls. It’s not toxic. It’s not “git gud.” It’s people who understand how hard this game is, helping each other through it.

It’s Incredible Value

The game costs around $18.99 USD . For that price, you’re getting 20-30 hours of content in a normal playthrough. More if you’re a completionist or want to tackle the endgame mountains. Considering some AAA games charge $70 for 15 hours, this is a steal.

The Not-So-Great Stuff (Being Honest)

I always try to give you the full picture. So here’s where Peaks of Yore stumbles.

The Physics Can Be Janky (Some Say)

Not everyone loves the controls. One reviewer wrote that “the physics feel imprecise and unintuitive” and that certain advanced moves (like the “s-jump”) become mandatory but are never explained .

They also complained that seagulls can knock you off holds (though bird seed was added in an update), slippery grips feel inconsistent, and later ice sections are frustrating .

So yes, some players bounce off hard. Your mileage will vary.

The Final Mountains Are Exhausting

Even players who love the game sometimes tap out at the end. One reviewer put it perfectly: they climbed everything except the last two mountains, rolled the credits, and called it a day . Those final peaks are asking for a level of commitment that not everyone can give.

Controller vs. Keyboard Is Divisive

The negative review I mentioned was written specifically from a controller perspective . It’s possible that the game is tuned more for mouse and keyboard. If you’re a controller-only player, you might struggle more than others.

The Monochrome Mode Hurts Visibility

The default black-and-white art style looks cool, but it makes it hard to see handholds . The game includes Colorful Mode for a reason. Use it. No shame.

Peaks of Yore vs. Jusant – How Do They Compare?

If you’ve heard of Jusant (another climbing game from 2023), you might be wondering which to play.

Jusant is more narrative-driven, has a soundtrack, beautiful full-color visuals, and is generally easier. It’s about the journey and the atmosphere.
Peaks of Yore is pure mechanics. No story. Minimal music. Harsh physics. It’s about the challenge and the satisfaction of mastery.

Both are excellent. They’re just doing different things. Play Jusant if you want a relaxing, beautiful experience. Play Peaks of Yore if you want to sweat and swear and then feel like a god.

The Bottom Line

Here’s the thing. Peaks of Yore is not a game for everyone. It’s slow. It’s repetitive. It will make you want to throw your mouse across the room when you fall from 5,000 meters because you clicked one pixel too early.

But if you have patience. If you enjoy mastering a skill through practice and repetition. If the feeling of finally conquering something that seemed impossible sounds appealing… this game will consume your life in the best possible way.

The controls are simple. The physics are consistent. The difficulty curve is a masterclass. And that final summit? That feeling when you stand on top of the Solemn Tempest and look down at everything you overcame? Nothing else like it.

Just remember to place your ropes. And maybe turn on Colorful Mode. And for the love of all that is holy, watch out for the seagulls.

Now go climb. The mountains aren’t going to summit themselves.

Installation Guide